1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a speed monitoring and ticketing system for a motor vehicle and more particularly to a speed monitoring system which will visually indicate when a speed limit has been broken and which may be selectively changed from a low to a high speed limit and wherein the driver will be required to register as a violator before the visual indicator can be de-energized.
2. Prior Art
Devices adapted for use with motor vehicles to indicate and record when the motor vehicle has exceeded a set speed limit are known.
For example, the patent to Carter et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,203,501 discloses an automotive speed control system wherein the speed of the motor vehicle is monitored and if it surpasses a set limit, a violation indicator is activated. When the device determines that the driver has broken the speed limit, the device shuts off the engine for a period of time. When this punishment period has elapsed, the system permits the engine to be re-started. A counter records the number of violations and the punishment period increases in length as the number of violations increase. A manual reset control and the control which sets the speed limit are locked in a box within the vehicle. The speed limit can be varied only by gaining access to the speed limit control which is positioned in the locked box. Further, the timing circuitry required is rather elaborate.
Another device is disclosed in the Brenner U.S. Pat. No. 3,229,249 and is responsive to a signal from a roadside transmitter to set the permitted vehicle speed. When the speed limit is broken, the system will energize an external light on the vehicle. In this device a radio receiver must be placed in the motor vehicle and a roadside transmitter is required whenever the speed limit changes. The cost of installing roadside transmitters and protecting them from vandalism is considerable.
It is toward elimination of these and other problems that the present invention is directed.